Archive for June, 2010

Mecca Bingo, already a name-brand leader in the U.K. and beyond, is sure to become much more popular beginning in July. Mecca Bingo representatives have just announced the imminent launch of a brand new Club Bingo room at Mecca, to be opened on July 1.

The new Club Bingo room will include brand new games like Penny Bingo and Superbooks alongside more traditional games offered by Mecca Casino. “Penny Bingo” lives up to the name, with live games everyday for 1¢ per ticket from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Ticket prices go up by 1¢ hourly until 5 p.m. closing time, so hurry in before 4 p.m. and you won’t have to pay a huge 4¢!

The Superbooks game will be open daily from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Players can either play for free or can win 5x to 10x the prizes by paying cash entry.

Present promotions going on at Mecca Bingo include the daily 75-ball game for £1,000 plus their linx Bingo games and the World Cup Chat Challenge: a trivia contest with £550 to be won when CMs periodically ask questions during bingo games – and Mecca promises that absolutely no questions about the World Cup or football will be asked!

Both new and existing players can take advantage of Mecca Bingo’s £5 no deposit offer to play bingo in their extremely popular Britain’s Got Talent-themed game. And new players *must* check out the 100% initial deposit match bonus for up to £50 – one of the bigger UK Bingo bonuses out there!

Mecca Bingo, already a name-brand leader in the U.K. and beyond, is sure to become much more popular beginning in July. Mecca Bingo representatives have just announced the imminent launch of a brand new Club Bingo room at Mecca, to be opened on July 1.

The new Club Bingo room will include brand new games like Penny Bingo and Superbooks alongside more traditional games offered by Mecca Casino. “Penny Bingo” lives up to the name, with live games everyday for 1¢ per ticket from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Ticket prices go up by 1¢ hourly until 5 p.m. closing time, so hurry in before 4 p.m. and you won’t have to pay a huge 4¢!

The Superbooks game will be open daily from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Players can either play for free or can win 5x to 10x the prizes by paying cash entry.

Present promotions going on at Mecca Bingo include the daily 75-ball game for £1,000 plus their linx Bingo games and the World Cup Chat Challenge: a trivia contest with £550 to be won when CMs periodically ask questions during bingo games – and Mecca promises that absolutely no questions about the World Cup or football will be asked!

Both new and existing players can take advantage of Mecca Bingo’s £5 no deposit offer to play bingo in their extremely popular Britain’s Got Talent-themed game. And new players *must* check out the 100% initial deposit match bonus for up to £50 – one of the bigger UK Bingo bonuses out there!

Gamblers are risk takers. Investors try to avoid risk. This simple fact alone might make it appear that the worlds of gambling and investing are miles apart. A closer look at the two, however, reveals more connections that one might think.

Outcome unknown

Gambling is, by definition, a wager on an unknown outcome. If it takes place in land based casinos or in online gambling sites, whether the game is poker, blackjack, slots, or any other casino classic, gamblers never know how the game will end. Sometimes it is possible to make an “educated guess” about the outcome of, for example, a poker standoff; but other times, like in the case of online slots, everything comes down to pure luck.

In the financial realm, things are really not so different. Most investors don’t throw caution to the wind and put their money just anyplace. Instead, they research and project, trying to guess the future. There is the key word – guess. In the world of investing, like the world of gambling, money is being put towards an unknown outcome. The return might be great, or the move might bankrupt you – it is the goal of both the gambler and the investor to choose the right path.

Fun or profit?

One perceived difference between gambling and investing is that gambling is done for fun, while investing is a legitimate business. One look at the world of professional poker, however, is enough to crush this myth. There are people all around the world who make a living playing in online poker sites, or by putting money down on blackjack and building up wealth over time. Even slots players can hit big wins, like the record-breaking €6.3 million jackpot that was won in May of 2009 on the Mega Moolah progressive jackpot slot.

Investors might want to turn their nose up at “professional gamblers”, but in truth, both gamblers and investors work just as hard for their returns. From the point of view of the gamblers, their trade combines fun and profit, and poker pros might often wonder – “is investing this much fun?”

All about speed

Investing is a slow and laborious process. It can take years for a big investment to start paying off. Being a successful investor requires a great deal of knowledge, plenty of time, and most of all, quite a lot of patience.

A common stereotype of gambling, on the other hand, is that it is a quick and dirty way to get rich. This is both true and false. In the case of big jackpot wins like the €6.3 million Mega Moolah jackpot, lucky gamblers win a lot of money in a very short amount of time. After all, it just took one click of a mouse that player to go from zero to millionaire. But how many times did the player click before the big win happened?

Other games like blackjack or poker require just as much time as a long-term financial investment. Individual games might last just a few minutes or hours, but wealth is built up over long stretches of time. Just as investors must scrutinize each transaction from all possible angles before putting their hand in their pocket, poker pros must spend long hours playing, practicing, and perfecting their game before they can expect to win the big prizes.

Good versus Evil

One last alleged difference between gambling and investing that is worth mentioning is this: while investors are seen as hard-working and respectable businessmen, pro gamblers are often looked down upon as reckless thrill seekers. This social stigma against gamblers and gambling is completely unfounded. A poorly-planned, rushed investment has just as much potential to drive a person into severe debt as a misplaced bet, and investing can be just as addictive as gambling.

Moreover, while profits from the winning end of bad investments often end up in the pockets of individuals, gambling revenue is often filtered back into society. Governments around the world use gambling tax revenues to fund social campaigns and to create services for the good of everyone.

Conclusion

In the end, it is clear that the differences between investing and gambling are not so great. Investors gamble on their choices, and gamblers invest in their skills. Neither activity should be taken lightly – both require practice, knowledge, and patience if a person wants to excel and come out ahead.

Perhaps the real difference between gambling and investing is the people. Just as investing is not to everyone’s taste, gambling doesn’t give everyone the same thrills. Both are risky endeavors, and both can lead to either extreme wealth or severe debt. Whether you choose gambling or investing, let us leave you with one piece of advice: research, practice and play the odds, don’t trust your gut instincts!

Gamblers are risk takers. Investors try to avoid risk. This simple fact alone might make it appear that the worlds of gambling and investing are miles apart. A closer look at the two, however, reveals more connections that one might think.

Outcome unknown

Gambling is, by definition, a wager on an unknown outcome. If it takes place in land based casinos or in online gambling sites, whether the game is poker, blackjack, slots, or any other casino classic, gamblers never know how the game will end. Sometimes it is possible to make an “educated guess” about the outcome of, for example, a poker standoff; but other times, like in the case of online slots, everything comes down to pure luck.

In the financial realm, things are really not so different. Most investors don’t throw caution to the wind and put their money just anyplace. Instead, they research and project, trying to guess the future. There is the key word – guess. In the world of investing, like the world of gambling, money is being put towards an unknown outcome. The return might be great, or the move might bankrupt you – it is the goal of both the gambler and the investor to choose the right path.

Fun or profit?

One perceived difference between gambling and investing is that gambling is done for fun, while investing is a legitimate business. One look at the world of professional poker, however, is enough to crush this myth. There are people all around the world who make a living playing in online poker sites, or by putting money down on blackjack and building up wealth over time. Even slots players can hit big wins, like the record-breaking €6.3 million jackpot that was won in May of 2009 on the Mega Moolah progressive jackpot slot.

Investors might want to turn their nose up at “professional gamblers”, but in truth, both gamblers and investors work just as hard for their returns. From the point of view of the gamblers, their trade combines fun and profit, and poker pros might often wonder – “is investing this much fun?”

All about speed

Investing is a slow and laborious process. It can take years for a big investment to start paying off. Being a successful investor requires a great deal of knowledge, plenty of time, and most of all, quite a lot of patience.

A common stereotype of gambling, on the other hand, is that it is a quick and dirty way to get rich. This is both true and false. In the case of big jackpot wins like the €6.3 million Mega Moolah jackpot, lucky gamblers win a lot of money in a very short amount of time. After all, it just took one click of a mouse that player to go from zero to millionaire. But how many times did the player click before the big win happened?

Other games like blackjack or poker require just as much time as a long-term financial investment. Individual games might last just a few minutes or hours, but wealth is built up over long stretches of time. Just as investors must scrutinize each transaction from all possible angles before putting their hand in their pocket, poker pros must spend long hours playing, practicing, and perfecting their game before they can expect to win the big prizes.

Good versus Evil

One last alleged difference between gambling and investing that is worth mentioning is this: while investors are seen as hard-working and respectable businessmen, pro gamblers are often looked down upon as reckless thrill seekers. This social stigma against gamblers and gambling is completely unfounded. A poorly-planned, rushed investment has just as much potential to drive a person into severe debt as a misplaced bet, and investing can be just as addictive as gambling.

Moreover, while profits from the winning end of bad investments often end up in the pockets of individuals, gambling revenue is often filtered back into society. Governments around the world use gambling tax revenues to fund social campaigns and to create services for the good of everyone.

Conclusion

In the end, it is clear that the differences between investing and gambling are not so great. Investors gamble on their choices, and gamblers invest in their skills. Neither activity should be taken lightly – both require practice, knowledge, and patience if a person wants to excel and come out ahead.

Perhaps the real difference between gambling and investing is the people. Just as investing is not to everyone’s taste, gambling doesn’t give everyone the same thrills. Both are risky endeavors, and both can lead to either extreme wealth or severe debt. Whether you choose gambling or investing, let us leave you with one piece of advice: research, practice and play the odds, don’t trust your gut instincts!

There are hundreds of casinos scattered all across the internet, and it would take even the most dedicated player months to try them all out in a quest to find the top online blackjack games. Fortunately, this is not necessary, because there is an easier way to find out which casinos offer the best games – the key is to look at the software.

Each online casino runs on specific gaming software, and since there are just a handful of different casino software providers out there, looking at the software a site operates on can give players a good idea about what games that casino will offer. Of course, there is still the problem of deciding what games are the best, because every player will have a different opinion! To solve this, here are a few different ways of looking at things.

Biggest variety
Players who live for variety should look at Microgaming casino games to satisfy their online blackjack cravings. Microgaming offers more games than any other casino software (over 450 at the last count), and included in this massive game selection is a tremendous selection of more than 40 different styles of blackjack! Microgaming casinos are sure to keep blackjack fans busy for a long, long time.

Most realistic games
This is a tie between two different casino softwares: Cryptologic and and WagerWorks. Both of these software producers focus on realism, with lifelike tables, natural looking cards and chips, and visual embellishments like brass card shoes and polished wood table rims. These games also incorporate animations and sound effects to add to the realism.

Most unique games
The blackjack titles offered by RealTime Gaming casinos are very special. They don’t aim for realism, but instead they try to look smooth and classy. A cool blue and black color scheme sets the stage, while bold cards and chips make the games easy to follow. The games are fast-paced and intense, making for exciting online gameplay.

Biggest jackpots
Most casino software companies offer at a progressive blackjack game. These games usually require a special side bet to enable the progressive payout, so they’re more expensive to play, but the jackpots can grow to enormous sizes, making them worth going for. The biggest progressive blackjack jackpots tend to come from the games offered by Playtech and Vegas Technology.

By now, it should be clear that choosing the best online blackjack games is not an easy task. It really depends on what features a player values in a game, whether it’s variety, realism, novelty, or big payouts. The best way to make a final decision is to just try one or two casinos from each software provider – only then can a player truly know which internet blackjack games they like best.

There are hundreds of casinos scattered all across the internet, and it would take even the most dedicated player months to try them all out in a quest to find the top online blackjack games. Fortunately, this is not necessary, because there is an easier way to find out which casinos offer the best games – the key is to look at the software.

Each online casino runs on specific gaming software, and since there are just a handful of different casino software providers out there, looking at the software a site operates on can give players a good idea about what games that casino will offer. Of course, there is still the problem of deciding what games are the best, because every player will have a different opinion! To solve this, here are a few different ways of looking at things.

Biggest variety
Players who live for variety should look at Microgaming casino games to satisfy their online blackjack cravings. Microgaming offers more games than any other casino software (over 450 at the last count), and included in this massive game selection is a tremendous selection of more than 40 different styles of blackjack! Microgaming casinos are sure to keep blackjack fans busy for a long, long time.

Most realistic games
This is a tie between two different casino softwares: Cryptologic and and WagerWorks. Both of these software producers focus on realism, with lifelike tables, natural looking cards and chips, and visual embellishments like brass card shoes and polished wood table rims. These games also incorporate animations and sound effects to add to the realism.

Most unique games
The blackjack titles offered by RealTime Gaming casinos are very special. They don’t aim for realism, but instead they try to look smooth and classy. A cool blue and black color scheme sets the stage, while bold cards and chips make the games easy to follow. The games are fast-paced and intense, making for exciting online gameplay.

Biggest jackpots
Most casino software companies offer at a progressive blackjack game. These games usually require a special side bet to enable the progressive payout, so they’re more expensive to play, but the jackpots can grow to enormous sizes, making them worth going for. The biggest progressive blackjack jackpots tend to come from the games offered by Playtech and Vegas Technology.

By now, it should be clear that choosing the best online blackjack games is not an easy task. It really depends on what features a player values in a game, whether it’s variety, realism, novelty, or big payouts. The best way to make a final decision is to just try one or two casinos from each software provider – only then can a player truly know which internet blackjack games they like best.

Recently named one of the top ten online casino and bingo brands in the U.K., Foxy Bingo shows no signs of letting up in terms of either success or popularity. In June, the five-year-old website was able to add to its accolades at the industry’s recent Online Bingo Summit: Foxy Bingo was nominated in the category of “Best Online Bingo Operator for 2010” and won in the “Best Marketing Campaign” award.

Some of Foxy Bingo’s best marketing comes from its promotions of course and this month Foxy seems to be just cranking out the big winners. Last week saw user Itsbetty take £2,500 in the “Tombola Draw” held every Tuesday and Thursday; starting at £500, this payout was the highest yet recorded in the promotion at Foxy Bingo.

And in just one week of the “Pre-Purchase Game,” Foxy Bingo doled out £17,000 in cash prizes plus DVD players and TVs to 31 players, including wins of £30,00 recorded by players Fleapot and Jambojebus92. One other player took home a nice £2,000 prize in the competition and three others won £1,500.

While Foxy Bingo is just five years old, this online bingo site UK has rapidly become known as one of the biggest and best around. Foxy boasts 40 rooms offering nearly every available form of bingo, from 75 ball pattern games to 90 ball coverall tournaments.

Some promotions currently available at Foxy Bingo include the free £20 welcome bonus, a contest for a free wedding cake and £1,000 in cash for the big day, and Monday Super Prize nights with games for as little as 1¢. For an all-around outstanding bingo experience, experts and players appear to agree: Foxy Bingo is your place for fun and winnings!

Recently named one of the top ten online casino and bingo brands in the U.K., Foxy Bingo shows no signs of letting up in terms of either success or popularity. In June, the five-year-old website was able to add to its accolades at the industry’s recent Online Bingo Summit: Foxy Bingo was nominated in the category of “Best Online Bingo Operator for 2010” and won in the “Best Marketing Campaign” award.

Some of Foxy Bingo’s best marketing comes from its promotions of course and this month Foxy seems to be just cranking out the big winners. Last week saw user Itsbetty take £2,500 in the “Tombola Draw” held every Tuesday and Thursday; starting at £500, this payout was the highest yet recorded in the promotion at Foxy Bingo.

And in just one week of the “Pre-Purchase Game,” Foxy Bingo doled out £17,000 in cash prizes plus DVD players and TVs to 31 players, including wins of £30,00 recorded by players Fleapot and Jambojebus92. One other player took home a nice £2,000 prize in the competition and three others won £1,500.

While Foxy Bingo is just five years old, this online bingo site UK has rapidly become known as one of the biggest and best around. Foxy boasts 40 rooms offering nearly every available form of bingo, from 75 ball pattern games to 90 ball coverall tournaments.

Some promotions currently available at Foxy Bingo include the free £20 welcome bonus, a contest for a free wedding cake and £1,000 in cash for the big day, and Monday Super Prize nights with games for as little as 1¢. For an all-around outstanding bingo experience, experts and players appear to agree: Foxy Bingo is your place for fun and winnings!

Anyone who has spent time gambling online knows that there are hundreds of different casino games out there, hosted at different online gambling sites all across the internet. Every casino game out there has its own rules and style, and each one pays out at different odds and at different rates.

When it comes to choosing a game, some players go for titles that they enjoy playing. Poker fans, for example, don’t stray far from Texas Hold’em or Five Card Stud. Other players don’t much care what they play – they follow the money instead.

In the quest to find the best online casino payouts, gamblers who are after money want to know how to win big and win fast. Games like blackjack and baccarat offer great odds for players, and over time, players with enough skill can make a lot of money on these games. But anyone who wants to become rich with a few clicks needs to focus on progressive jackpot slots.

Progressive jackpot games are networked. Every different progressive title is connected together by a single jackpot, and that jackpot is made up of two things: seed money and additional money from wagers. The seed money comes from the software company that makes the game. Some progressive slots are seeded at a few thousand; others at a cool million.

Once seeded, the progressive jackpot grows in value as players around the world wager on the game. A small percentage of every wager is added to the progressive jackpot prize, and it continues to get bigger and bigger until one lucky player wins. Once it pays out, it is re-seeded, and the process starts all over.

Some progressive jackpots pay out small amounts, but others can change a player’s life forever. The biggest progressive jackpot ever paid out was won in May of 2009 on a game called Mega Moolah, which earned one lucky player an incredible €6.3 million!

By using an online jackpot finder, players can track the current value of all the best progressive slots on the internet, and can see instantly which ones are paying big. On any given day, well over $10 million is waiting to be won from progressive slots online. These massive prizes are just a click away – don’t miss out!

Anyone who has spent time gambling online knows that there are hundreds of different casino games out there, hosted at different online gambling sites all across the internet. Every casino game out there has its own rules and style, and each one pays out at different odds and at different rates.

When it comes to choosing a game, some players go for titles that they enjoy playing. Poker fans, for example, don’t stray far from Texas Hold’em or Five Card Stud. Other players don’t much care what they play – they follow the money instead.

In the quest to find the best online casino payouts, gamblers who are after money want to know how to win big and win fast. Games like blackjack and baccarat offer great odds for players, and over time, players with enough skill can make a lot of money on these games. But anyone who wants to become rich with a few clicks needs to focus on progressive jackpot slots.

Progressive jackpot games are networked. Every different progressive title is connected together by a single jackpot, and that jackpot is made up of two things: seed money and additional money from wagers. The seed money comes from the software company that makes the game. Some progressive slots are seeded at a few thousand; others at a cool million.

Once seeded, the progressive jackpot grows in value as players around the world wager on the game. A small percentage of every wager is added to the progressive jackpot prize, and it continues to get bigger and bigger until one lucky player wins. Once it pays out, it is re-seeded, and the process starts all over.

Some progressive jackpots pay out small amounts, but others can change a player’s life forever. The biggest progressive jackpot ever paid out was won in May of 2009 on a game called Mega Moolah, which earned one lucky player an incredible €6.3 million!

By using an online jackpot finder, players can track the current value of all the best progressive slots on the internet, and can see instantly which ones are paying big. On any given day, well over $10 million is waiting to be won from progressive slots online. These massive prizes are just a click away – don’t miss out!

christiano ronaldo

The battle for winning Group G in the World Cup will be an interesting clash between one of Europe’s and South America’s best teams.

Brazil is the favorite according to Paddy Power online sportsbook giving the odds at 6/5 and a draw at 2/1 – these lines place Brazil as the Group G winners.

Portugal can win the group by winning the game, however Portuguese star player Deco is still not in active mode and predicted to sit this one out on the bench.

Christiano Ronaldo, Luis Fabiano or Robinho, are the favorites to be the goalscorers of the match.

Paddy Power online sportsbook is offering Live in-game World Cup betting as well as £50 in free bonus betting with first deposit!

christiano ronaldo

The battle for winning Group G in the World Cup will be an interesting clash between one of Europe’s and South America’s best teams.

Brazil is the favorite according to Paddy Power online sportsbook giving the odds at 6/5 and a draw at 2/1 – these lines place Brazil as the Group G winners.

Portugal can win the group by winning the game, however Portuguese star player Deco is still not in active mode and predicted to sit this one out on the bench.

Christiano Ronaldo, Luis Fabiano or Robinho, are the favorites to be the goalscorers of the match.

Paddy Power online sportsbook is offering Live in-game World Cup betting as well as £50 in free bonus betting with first deposit!

When playing online bingo, nothing is more frustrating than getting worked up over a nearly-complete bingo card in a blackout game, then watching as another player grabs the prize money right out from under your nose. Now, at Think Bingo, this never has to be a problem again.

A new range of bingo games has just been introduced at Think Bingo called 1TG and 2TG games. The TG stands for “to go”, and it refers to the number of spots left before a player completes their card. If a card has all but one number marked, that’s 1TG, and if there are just two numbers left, that’s 2TG.

The games work like this: When one or more players start getting close to having a full card, an alert goes out, letting everyone know the climax of the game is coming up soon. When somebody finally wins and grabs the game’s guaranteed prize money, any players with “one to go” or even “two to go” will also get paid! This definitely relieves some of the stress that comes with almost winning (or is it barely losing?). It also lets more players walk away from each game with a smile on their face.

Qualifying games will be marked with special 1TG or 2TG symbols outside the bingo room, letting players know when these runner-up prizes will be paid.

Think Bingo is as much about socializing as it is about playing bingo and winning cash. The site’s pink and purple color scheme makes it clear who the target audience is! Have fun meeting new people and enjoying wild chat games while playing non-stop bingo games in any of the site’s game rooms. Sign up today and you’ll receive a 400% bonus on any deposit of £5 or £10!

When playing online bingo, nothing is more frustrating than getting worked up over a nearly-complete bingo card in a blackout game, then watching as another player grabs the prize money right out from under your nose. Now, at Think Bingo, this never has to be a problem again.

A new range of bingo games has just been introduced at Think Bingo called 1TG and 2TG games. The TG stands for “to go”, and it refers to the number of spots left before a player completes their card. If a card has all but one number marked, that’s 1TG, and if there are just two numbers left, that’s 2TG.

The games work like this: When one or more players start getting close to having a full card, an alert goes out, letting everyone know the climax of the game is coming up soon. When somebody finally wins and grabs the game’s guaranteed prize money, any players with “one to go” or even “two to go” will also get paid! This definitely relieves some of the stress that comes with almost winning (or is it barely losing?). It also lets more players walk away from each game with a smile on their face.

Qualifying games will be marked with special 1TG or 2TG symbols outside the bingo room, letting players know when these runner-up prizes will be paid.

Think Bingo is as much about socializing as it is about playing bingo and winning cash. The site’s pink and purple color scheme makes it clear who the target audience is! Have fun meeting new people and enjoying wild chat games while playing non-stop bingo games in any of the site’s game rooms. Sign up today and you’ll receive a 400% bonus on any deposit of £5 or £10!

More than one Internet gambler has succumbed a little bit to World Cup Fever, with the big tournament now being watched all over the world – and promoted all over Internet casinos. Everyone has football-themed games, and the following are just a sample of some of the best online casino games for World Cup time.

In old-fashioned pub slots, Rival has the brand new Global Cup Soccer. It’s a one payline, three reel game with all the symbols of football present. Top payout on this game is 2,500 coins. Global Cup Soccer may be found at any Rival Gaming-powered online casino.

Microgaming-powered casinos have installed an online video slot in time for the big tournament as well: Soccer Safari blends cartoon animals with World Cup action and to further appeal to a wide audience has a big 60,000 coin jackpot.

Best of the lot in video slots has got to be Playtech’s Top Trumps World Football Stars and Top Trumps World Football Legends. In Football Stars, choose the teams you want to face off and players from those teams become high-paying symbols on the reels – the most popular choices are reportedly England and Brazil. World Football Legends is also a five reel 15 payline slot game in the football theme, but with set images on the reels of Zidane, Carlos and Jairzinho.

There are some specialty video games for the World Cup out there, too. The Casino Rewards group of Microgaming casinos has installed its World Cup Koala Game along with an exclusive promotion. Players use the koala bear goalkeeper to stop as many penalty shots as possible for Australia while thrilling to the roar of the crowd. The player with the most saves at the end of June 30 will win the top prize of $500.

Finally, Virgin Casino offers an interesting instant win scratch card game entitled Goal! Three2Win. Simply choose from the covered spaces until you match three of a kind. In standard play receive between 1 and 50 coins with a winning combination, but in the random “Mystery Round,” win up to an amazing 500,000 coins.

No matter how you feel about the World Cup, any of these games make for a fun online casino experience. Enjoy them while they last, because the World Cup will be over before you know it – for another four years.

More than one Internet gambler has succumbed a little bit to World Cup Fever, with the big tournament now being watched all over the world – and promoted all over Internet casinos. Everyone has football-themed games, and the following are just a sample of some of the best online casino games for World Cup time.

In old-fashioned pub slots, Rival has the brand new Global Cup Soccer. It’s a one payline, three reel game with all the symbols of football present. Top payout on this game is 2,500 coins. Global Cup Soccer may be found at any Rival Gaming-powered online casino.

Microgaming-powered casinos have installed an online video slot in time for the big tournament as well: Soccer Safari blends cartoon animals with World Cup action and to further appeal to a wide audience has a big 60,000 coin jackpot.

Best of the lot in video slots has got to be Playtech’s Top Trumps World Football Stars and Top Trumps World Football Legends. In Football Stars, choose the teams you want to face off and players from those teams become high-paying symbols on the reels – the most popular choices are reportedly England and Brazil. World Football Legends is also a five reel 15 payline slot game in the football theme, but with set images on the reels of Zidane, Carlos and Jairzinho.

There are some specialty video games for the World Cup out there, too. The Casino Rewards group of Microgaming casinos has installed its World Cup Koala Game along with an exclusive promotion. Players use the koala bear goalkeeper to stop as many penalty shots as possible for Australia while thrilling to the roar of the crowd. The player with the most saves at the end of June 30 will win the top prize of $500.

Finally, Virgin Casino offers an interesting instant win scratch card game entitled Goal! Three2Win. Simply choose from the covered spaces until you match three of a kind. In standard play receive between 1 and 50 coins with a winning combination, but in the random “Mystery Round,” win up to an amazing 500,000 coins.

No matter how you feel about the World Cup, any of these games make for a fun online casino experience. Enjoy them while they last, because the World Cup will be over before you know it – for another four years.

Team USA is only one win away from advancing to the round of 16 in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, facing Algeria

Both Ladbrokes and Brobury Sports are giving the Americans’ good chances to win this one, the odds are +111 (11/10). All the eyes in this game will be on the USA team as they face off Algeria.

A low score is expected, with USA winning 1-0 getting the shortest odds in Ladbrokes Correct Score betting at 5/1. Want to bet on who will score the winning goal? Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey are getting 5/1 odds … will it be a header this time around?

At Brobury Sports, bet on the World Cup and receive a 50% signup bonus on all deposits of at least $100 for up to $500. Or get $25 in free bets from Ladbrokes by making just $5 in World Cup bets – with either deal, you can’t go wrong with these quality sportsbooks.

Team USA is only one win away from advancing to the round of 16 in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, facing Algeria

Both Ladbrokes and Brobury Sports are giving the Americans’ good chances to win this one, the odds are +111 (11/10). All the eyes in this game will be on the USA team as they face off Algeria.

A low score is expected, with USA winning 1-0 getting the shortest odds in Ladbrokes Correct Score betting at 5/1. Want to bet on who will score the winning goal? Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey are getting 5/1 odds … will it be a header this time around?

At Brobury Sports, bet on the World Cup and receive a 50% signup bonus on all deposits of at least $100 for up to $500. Or get $25 in free bets from Ladbrokes by making just $5 in World Cup bets – with either deal, you can’t go wrong with these quality sportsbooks.

Jackpotjoy, one of the world leaders in online bingo, is running a World Cup promotion that combines the international flavor of the biggest football event of the year with the excitement and fun of online bingo. The promotion is called Play Collect Win, and it lets bingo fans collect flags from countries around the world in order to win real cash prizes.

The rules of this great promotion are easy to follow. Jackpotjoy members just need to enjoy their favorite games at this top bingo site in order to collect flags. Most games count, including all their great online bingo games – only a few casino titles are exempt.

For every £20 a player wagers in a day, they receive one flag. If a player wagers £30 or more in a single day, they get two flags! There are 32 flags to collect, representing the 32 countries that are taking part in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

As players collect flags, they match them up with a special chart found on the Jackpotjoy website. The chart is set up sort of like a bingo card, and when players complete rows of flags, they earn cash prizes! The prizes aren’t huge – they range from £1 up to £15 – but if players manage to collect all 32 flags, they will win £50 guaranteed!

It doesn’t stop there – when the players sign up for this promo, they have to choose one country. If they collect all 32 flags, and the country they chose makes it to the final four, they win a share of £20,000! Remember, the cash goes to all the players who chose that country, so picking less obvious choices could lead to more cash in pocket.

Anyone who is not yet a member of Jackpotjoy should definitely consider joining. They run non-stop online bingo games of every variety, and have enough casino games and side games to keep anyone busy for months! Sign up today and grab a 100% welcome bonus up to £100 on your first deposit.

Jackpotjoy, one of the world leaders in online bingo, is running a World Cup promotion that combines the international flavor of the biggest football event of the year with the excitement and fun of online bingo. The promotion is called Play Collect Win, and it lets bingo fans collect flags from countries around the world in order to win real cash prizes.

The rules of this great promotion are easy to follow. Jackpotjoy members just need to enjoy their favorite games at this top bingo site in order to collect flags. Most games count, including all their great online bingo games – only a few casino titles are exempt.

For every £20 a player wagers in a day, they receive one flag. If a player wagers £30 or more in a single day, they get two flags! There are 32 flags to collect, representing the 32 countries that are taking part in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

As players collect flags, they match them up with a special chart found on the Jackpotjoy website. The chart is set up sort of like a bingo card, and when players complete rows of flags, they earn cash prizes! The prizes aren’t huge – they range from £1 up to £15 – but if players manage to collect all 32 flags, they will win £50 guaranteed!

It doesn’t stop there – when the players sign up for this promo, they have to choose one country. If they collect all 32 flags, and the country they chose makes it to the final four, they win a share of £20,000! Remember, the cash goes to all the players who chose that country, so picking less obvious choices could lead to more cash in pocket.

Anyone who is not yet a member of Jackpotjoy should definitely consider joining. They run non-stop online bingo games of every variety, and have enough casino games and side games to keep anyone busy for months! Sign up today and grab a 100% welcome bonus up to £100 on your first deposit.

Not so long ago, Harrah’s Entertainment was one of the most vocal detractors of regulating online gambling sites. Today, however, they’re rapidly becoming a force for full legalization of Internet gaming in America. In fact, Harrah’s will be among the most visible pro-online gambling lobbyists in Washington beginning next month.

Harrah’s Entertainment is of course best known for the Las Vegas-based Harrah’s Hotel and Caesar’s Palace, while ever gaining in household name recognition thanks to its sponsorship of the World Series of Poker event. Back in 2006, Harrah’s was a chief player in getting the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, the law which imposes serious restrictions on playing online in the United States, passed as part of the Safe Port Act.

With the economy tanking in 2008 and 2009 while profits steadily eroded, Harrah’s has performed an about-face on their opposition to the gambling online. The first major step was in hiring former Party Gaming CEO Mitch Garber to head up its newly formed “interactive gaming division,” followed by the launching of its own website affiliated with the World Series of Poker – at which U.S. players are not allowed to play.

But last week saw the biggest indication yet that Harrah’s is exuding effort into overturning UIGEA and getting more rational laws regarding online gambling in the U.S. as the company hired the lobbying firm Capitol Counsel to plead the casino giant’s case on Capitol Hill. In 2010, Harrah’s has already spent nearly $1 million in lobbying efforts.

Speculation has it that Harrah’s expanded lobbying efforts are in advance of Congressional hearings scheduled for July on legislation proposed by Rep. Barney Frank that would overturn UIGEA. The Nevada Gaming Control Board is also reportedly investigating the relationship between gaming provider 888 and Harrah’s for possible violations of state and federal law.

Not so long ago, Harrah’s Entertainment was one of the most vocal detractors of regulating online gambling sites. Today, however, they’re rapidly becoming a force for full legalization of Internet gaming in America. In fact, Harrah’s will be among the most visible pro-online gambling lobbyists in Washington beginning next month.

Harrah’s Entertainment is of course best known for the Las Vegas-based Harrah’s Hotel and Caesar’s Palace, while ever gaining in household name recognition thanks to its sponsorship of the World Series of Poker event. Back in 2006, Harrah’s was a chief player in getting the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, the law which imposes serious restrictions on playing online in the United States, passed as part of the Safe Port Act.

With the economy tanking in 2008 and 2009 while profits steadily eroded, Harrah’s has performed an about-face on their opposition to the gambling online. The first major step was in hiring former Party Gaming CEO Mitch Garber to head up its newly formed “interactive gaming division,” followed by the launching of its own website affiliated with the World Series of Poker – at which U.S. players are not allowed to play.

But last week saw the biggest indication yet that Harrah’s is exuding effort into overturning UIGEA and getting more rational laws regarding online gambling in the U.S. as the company hired the lobbying firm Capitol Counsel to plead the casino giant’s case on Capitol Hill. In 2010, Harrah’s has already spent nearly $1 million in lobbying efforts.

Speculation has it that Harrah’s expanded lobbying efforts are in advance of Congressional hearings scheduled for July on legislation proposed by Rep. Barney Frank that would overturn UIGEA. The Nevada Gaming Control Board is also reportedly investigating the relationship between gaming provider 888 and Harrah’s for possible violations of state and federal law.

Now that proponents of fair taxation for bingo in Scotland have been elected/reelected into the country’s parliament, the Scottish National Party constituency now awaits a repeal to a proposed tax hike on bingo gaming.

One of the more outspoken proponents of bingo in Scotland was Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie. Hosie, who also serves as the SNP’s spokesperson for the treasury and economy, actually invested the time for his last photo opportunity of the election season to meet with Mecca Bingo players and managers in Nethergate in May.

SNP spent much of the election campaign warning bingo players that Scottish bingo clubs were at risk because of the Labour Party’s proposed budget. Planned for in the budget, SNP candidates said, was an increase from 15% to 22%. Calling the prospective tax hike “unfair,” Hosie at that time said that “Bingo is a highly popular social activity yet is paying 22%, while duty on other forms of gambling including sports betting, online casino and online poker and football pools will remain at 15%.”

And in fact SNP strategy also had party head/First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond playing the part of bingo caller in a Glasgow bingo parlor in October. Ironically, the winning number in the game Salmond drew was 74, the number of years Labour had held the parliament seat of the district in which Salmond was calling. “You can’t fight fate,” he joked. (SNP’s candidate David Kerr ended up losing anyway.)

In 2009, a House of Commons study showed that three million people in Great Britain played bingo regularly. In that fiscal year, 1.42 billion was played on bingo games in real-life bingo halls alone and 69.8 million was raised in taxes for the British government. The Scottish market accounts for about 20% of the overall British numbers.

Now that proponents of fair taxation for bingo in Scotland have been elected/reelected into the country’s parliament, the Scottish National Party constituency now awaits a repeal to a proposed tax hike on bingo gaming.

One of the more outspoken proponents of bingo in Scotland was Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie. Hosie, who also serves as the SNP’s spokesperson for the treasury and economy, actually invested the time for his last photo opportunity of the election season to meet with Mecca Bingo players and managers in Nethergate in May.

SNP spent much of the election campaign warning bingo players that Scottish bingo clubs were at risk because of the Labour Party’s proposed budget. Planned for in the budget, SNP candidates said, was an increase from 15% to 22%. Calling the prospective tax hike “unfair,” Hosie at that time said that “Bingo is a highly popular social activity yet is paying 22%, while duty on other forms of gambling including sports betting, online casino and online poker and football pools will remain at 15%.”

And in fact SNP strategy also had party head/First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond playing the part of bingo caller in a Glasgow bingo parlor in October. Ironically, the winning number in the game Salmond drew was 74, the number of years Labour had held the parliament seat of the district in which Salmond was calling. “You can’t fight fate,” he joked. (SNP’s candidate David Kerr ended up losing anyway.)

In 2009, a House of Commons study showed that three million people in Great Britain played bingo regularly. In that fiscal year, 1.42 billion was played on bingo games in real-life bingo halls alone and 69.8 million was raised in taxes for the British government. The Scottish market accounts for about 20% of the overall British numbers.

In honor of the season-ending episode of the reality TV performance show “Britain’s Got Talent” (and in honor of the “football widow” left abandoned for the telly at the pub by her husband), Mecca Bingo this week launched their “Mecca’s Got Talent Club Finals” promotion, an interesting contest with a cash prize of £3,000 and a booked performance date at Wembley Stadium in May.

Through Friday, any British citizen can upload his or her “Britain’s Got Talent”-style video to the Mecca Bingo Facebook fan page. After reviewing all submissions, two entrants will join Mecca’s eight club finalists to perform in the finals on September 4th. The show will be hosted by Scottish TV personality Lorraine Kelly and the winner receives the £3,000 grand prize and the performance at Wembley in May 2011.

Hundreds of submissions have already been entered into the contest and Mecca gaming director Angus Nisbet has stated that “many Mecca players have already shown amazing degrees of talent.”

Incidentally, Mecca Bingo reminds that a second promotion is running specifically for football widows: The “Chat Challenge” trivia contest with £550 to be won when CMs periodically ask questions during bingo games. The perk for this audience: “Those of you who are fed up with hearing about the World Cup will be pleased to know that none of this bingo site’s questions are football-related but are questions about countries all over the world,” says PR material for the event.

Finally, on Saturday, June 19th, a Chester-based bingo hall has announced the Mecca Bingo-sponsored “Blooming Great Tea Party” to raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Cure; naturally, bingo games will be on offer.

All proceeds from the event will go toward assistance for homecare for the terminally ill in Britain. Mecca Bingo has set itself a goal of £200,000 to be raised for Marie Curie Cancer Cure and other charitable organizations.

In honor of the season-ending episode of the reality TV performance show “Britain’s Got Talent” (and in honor of the “football widow” left abandoned for the telly at the pub by her husband), Mecca Bingo this week launched their “Mecca’s Got Talent Club Finals” promotion, an interesting contest with a cash prize of £3,000 and a booked performance date at Wembley Stadium in May.

Through Friday, any British citizen can upload his or her “Britain’s Got Talent”-style video to the Mecca Bingo Facebook fan page. After reviewing all submissions, two entrants will join Mecca’s eight club finalists to perform in the finals on September 4th. The show will be hosted by Scottish TV personality Lorraine Kelly and the winner receives the £3,000 grand prize and the performance at Wembley in May 2011.

Hundreds of submissions have already been entered into the contest and Mecca gaming director Angus Nisbet has stated that “many Mecca players have already shown amazing degrees of talent.”

Incidentally, Mecca Bingo reminds that a second promotion is running specifically for football widows: The “Chat Challenge” trivia contest with £550 to be won when CMs periodically ask questions during bingo games. The perk for this audience: “Those of you who are fed up with hearing about the World Cup will be pleased to know that none of this bingo site’s questions are football-related but are questions about countries all over the world,” says PR material for the event.

Finally, on Saturday, June 19th, a Chester-based bingo hall has announced the Mecca Bingo-sponsored “Blooming Great Tea Party” to raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Cure; naturally, bingo games will be on offer.

All proceeds from the event will go toward assistance for homecare for the terminally ill in Britain. Mecca Bingo has set itself a goal of £200,000 to be raised for Marie Curie Cancer Cure and other charitable organizations.

Virgin Bingo recently announced a huge winner, but the even better news for players there is that nearly £500,000 is still available on the progressive slot she took for lots of money.

A player known as “Milllane” was playing Progressive Snow Queen’s Magic, a slot game installed at Virgin Bingo. On 10p stakes, Milllane managed to line up five Snow Queen symbols for a massive £55,000 on a single spin.

Ironically, Milllane had been a regular player at Virgin Bingo, but recently had been away from the online bingo room for two years. On a whim, she decided to visit her old favorite again last Sunday to come away with the five-figure prize money.

Though Milllane took a goodly amount of money out of the online progressive slot, she was only playing for 10p per payline and the total sum is only paid out to a player at the £1 bet level. As of this writing, over £496,000 is in the jackpot coffers right now.

When asked what she would be doing with her winnings, Milllane stated that “I think some of my winnings will be [for] going on holiday and getting a new kitchen fitted!”

Since its establishment in 2004, Virgin Games has now served over 1,000,000 players. The custom-built Virgin Games platform, including Virgin Bingo and Virgin Casino powered by WagerWorks and Cryptologic software among others, was established in 2008.

Join Virgin Bingo while the World Cup is going on to play free bingo games while a match is being played in the World Cup Free Bingo promotion!

Virgin Bingo recently announced a huge winner, but the even better news for players there is that nearly £500,000 is still available on the progressive slot she took for lots of money.

A player known as “Milllane” was playing Progressive Snow Queen’s Magic, a slot game installed at Virgin Bingo. On 10p stakes, Milllane managed to line up five Snow Queen symbols for a massive £55,000 on a single spin.

Ironically, Milllane had been a regular player at Virgin Bingo, but recently had been away from the online bingo room for two years. On a whim, she decided to visit her old favorite again last Sunday to come away with the five-figure prize money.

Though Milllane took a goodly amount of money out of the online progressive slot, she was only playing for 10p per payline and the total sum is only paid out to a player at the £1 bet level. As of this writing, over £496,000 is in the jackpot coffers right now.

When asked what she would be doing with her winnings, Milllane stated that “I think some of my winnings will be [for] going on holiday and getting a new kitchen fitted!”

Since its establishment in 2004, Virgin Games has now served over 1,000,000 players. The custom-built Virgin Games platform, including Virgin Bingo and Virgin Casino powered by WagerWorks and Cryptologic software among others, was established in 2008.

Join Virgin Bingo while the World Cup is going on to play free bingo games while a match is being played in the World Cup Free Bingo promotion!

In contrast to many other types of online gambling, Internet bingo is inherently a social game in which the chitchatting is an integral part of the gaming experience. If you play bingo online, you’ll also be meeting new people and making friends. Therefore it’s important to consider a few unwritten rules expected of fellow bingo players. Six simple suggestions for dos and don’ts for Bingo chitchat might be the following.

• Do your research. Many a webpage or forum topic is devoted solely to bingo chat rooms. Why? Because even a bingo website with the best possible promotions and tournaments running 24/7 means nothing without a friendly and lively chatroom. Also important to look for in doing research are free chatroom games – an essential to keep players interested and enthused.

• Don’t bother with the free bingo sites. While free bingo sounds fun, these sites are overwhelmingly poorly run, have inferior customer/technical support and attract few people who actually stay regulars, an essential feature of a fun bingo website. And the chatrooms at such websites reflect this.

• Do be polite. Please. Virtual society is still society, after all, so please apply the golden rule. Of course, some unintentional stepping on people’s toes will happen in a suitably international and multicultural bingo room. In general, the same rules of polite conversation apply and therefore it’s best to stay away from controversial subject matter. One thing that can be emphatically stated is the following.

• Don’t brag about your wins. This is really a turnoff in terms of bingo chit chat and can inspire serious bad feelings, even accusations. These in turn tie in with…

• Don’t complain about players winning. It sounds bad and it’s silly if you think about it. There are nowhere “house players” and it is seemingly impossible for anyone to cheat at online bingo. Please remember that it’s all about luck and there are no bingo conspiracies.

• Do learn some lingo. If you want to chitchat, chitchat in cool fashion by learning some online bingo lingo. Most of these are actually Internet-like acronym terms, but in addition to LOL are some specific “words” like “1tg,” which means “one number to go until I hit bingo.” Then there’s BLNT for “better luck next time” and POOF for “I have left the chat.” And fellow bingo players are referred to as “Roomies.”

The next time you chat while playing online bingo, remember your bingo etiquette and you’ll have even more fun. So have a great time, GL2U and TTFN!

In contrast to many other types of online gambling, Internet bingo is inherently a social game in which the chitchatting is an integral part of the gaming experience. If you play bingo online, you’ll also be meeting new people and making friends. Therefore it’s important to consider a few unwritten rules expected of fellow bingo players. Six simple suggestions for dos and don’ts for Bingo chitchat might be the following.

• Do your research. Many a webpage or forum topic is devoted solely to bingo chat rooms. Why? Because even a bingo website with the best possible promotions and tournaments running 24/7 means nothing without a friendly and lively chatroom. Also important to look for in doing research are free chatroom games – an essential to keep players interested and enthused.

• Don’t bother with the free bingo sites. While free bingo sounds fun, these sites are overwhelmingly poorly run, have inferior customer/technical support and attract few people who actually stay regulars, an essential feature of a fun bingo website. And the chatrooms at such websites reflect this.

• Do be polite. Please. Virtual society is still society, after all, so please apply the golden rule. Of course, some unintentional stepping on people’s toes will happen in a suitably international and multicultural bingo room. In general, the same rules of polite conversation apply and therefore it’s best to stay away from controversial subject matter. One thing that can be emphatically stated is the following.

• Don’t brag about your wins. This is really a turnoff in terms of bingo chit chat and can inspire serious bad feelings, even accusations. These in turn tie in with…

• Don’t complain about players winning. It sounds bad and it’s silly if you think about it. There are nowhere “house players” and it is seemingly impossible for anyone to cheat at online bingo. Please remember that it’s all about luck and there are no bingo conspiracies.

• Do learn some lingo. If you want to chitchat, chitchat in cool fashion by learning some online bingo lingo. Most of these are actually Internet-like acronym terms, but in addition to LOL are some specific “words” like “1tg,” which means “one number to go until I hit bingo.” Then there’s BLNT for “better luck next time” and POOF for “I have left the chat.” And fellow bingo players are referred to as “Roomies.”

The next time you chat while playing online bingo, remember your bingo etiquette and you’ll have even more fun. So have a great time, GL2U and TTFN!

The question “How do you read NFL football odds?” can be answered in two different ways. One response would answer to the nuts and bolts of the question, explaining those actual slates of numbers. The other would be to attempt to explain, as we do in the United States, the deeper meaning in those numbers the online bookmakers provide.

Considering a few relevant examples will help us consider both questions.

All lines except for those on pointspread (or handicap) bets may be presented in any of three ways: fractional, decimal and American. Fractional is the classic 3/1 format; decimal format shows you the payout based on 1 unit out to two decimal points, so 3.00 for the previous example; American style shows the payout on 100 units, so the current example would be +300 in this format.

The very basic proposition bet in all of NFL betting is of course wagering on the Super Bowl winner. Currently last year’s finalists, the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints, are the favorites to win Super Bowl XLV at 8/1 (8.00, +800) and 9/1 (9.00, +900), respectively, by PaddyPower bookmakers.

How do you read these particular odds? These numbers mean simply, “It’s too far in advance of the season, which begins in September, to make a realistic call so we’re going with the default choices.” You can also wager on each division winner and the conference winners at most sports betting websites, but such bets in June are strictly for loyalists.

The most popular NFL bets week to week are the pointspread and over/under lines. These are represented by a plus or minus followed with a number of points. The favorite always receives a negative number, the underdog is positive. This bet works the same way as a handicap in golf, so taking the underdog means adds points to the result of the game; in a close game, the underdog often “wins” at the bookmaker.

Over/under lines represent what the oddsmaker believes will be the total number of points scored by both teams in the game. Pick the over if you think the final score will add up to more than the bookmaker’s line, under for less.

At BetUS, odds are actually already posted for week one in the NFL. In the Oakland Raiders-Tennessee Titans game, the Oakland Raiders are the underdog with a +7 pointspread and there’s an over/under of 41 points.

How do you read these NFL football odds? Well, Oakland at +7 means the bookies figure the Raiders to be just as awful as they have been for seven seasons now, while the 41 over/under indicates that this game will be about as exciting as most fans would expect. You can bet on it.

The question “How do you read NFL football odds?” can be answered in two different ways. One response would answer to the nuts and bolts of the question, explaining those actual slates of numbers. The other would be to attempt to explain, as we do in the United States, the deeper meaning in those numbers the online bookmakers provide.

Considering a few relevant examples will help us consider both questions.

All lines except for those on pointspread (or handicap) bets may be presented in any of three ways: fractional, decimal and American. Fractional is the classic 3/1 format; decimal format shows you the payout based on 1 unit out to two decimal points, so 3.00 for the previous example; American style shows the payout on 100 units, so the current example would be +300 in this format.

The very basic proposition bet in all of NFL betting is of course wagering on the Super Bowl winner. Currently last year’s finalists, the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints, are the favorites to win Super Bowl XLV at 8/1 (8.00, +800) and 9/1 (9.00, +900), respectively, by PaddyPower bookmakers.

How do you read these particular odds? These numbers mean simply, “It’s too far in advance of the season, which begins in September, to make a realistic call so we’re going with the default choices.” You can also wager on each division winner and the conference winners at most sports betting websites, but such bets in June are strictly for loyalists.

The most popular NFL bets week to week are the pointspread and over/under lines. These are represented by a plus or minus followed with a number of points. The favorite always receives a negative number, the underdog is positive. This bet works the same way as a handicap in golf, so taking the underdog means adds points to the result of the game; in a close game, the underdog often “wins” at the bookmaker.

Over/under lines represent what the oddsmaker believes will be the total number of points scored by both teams in the game. Pick the over if you think the final score will add up to more than the bookmaker’s line, under for less.

At BetUS, odds are actually already posted for week one in the NFL. In the Oakland Raiders-Tennessee Titans game, the Oakland Raiders are the underdog with a +7 pointspread and there’s an over/under of 41 points.

How do you read these NFL football odds? Well, Oakland at +7 means the bookies figure the Raiders to be just as awful as they have been for seven seasons now, while the 41 over/under indicates that this game will be about as exciting as most fans would expect. You can bet on it.

For full reviews and detailed information visit our 2010 FIFA world cup betting odds section

For full reviews and detailed information visit our 2010 FIFA world cup betting odds section

Table games are intriguing and fun. Quite possibly if you play correctly, your knowledge can also be turned into winnings. Too may players, however, go into the games ignorant of the hard numbers involved in some of their favorite games, these players surely often go away surprised, wondering where things went wrong. Arm yourself with a little knowledge, as below run a few of the more favorable odds you can get in craps, baccarat and blackjack.

Though most of the time in craps the house has a massive advantage, but craps does in fact have the single best bet in the casino in terms of favorable odds: the “odds” bet. This carries payout odds of exactly 1/1, the only time you’ll get these odds at the casino outside of the “double up” option in some video poker games.

When you beat “odds” in craps, you are making an additional bet that the “point” is rolled before a seven comes up. The odds vary on what the point is, from 6/5 on a roll of 6 or 8 to 2/1 on 4 or 10. Though statistics say the 7 will be rolled most often, these higher payouts on the “odds” bet balances out the house advantage to exactly 50/50.

Unfortunately, most online gambling sites – like most real-life casinos – require you to make a “pass line” bet first. To get this back in addition to winning at the “odds” bet, well, that’s where luck comes in.
Baccarat is mostly a game of nerves in the European version and mostly entirely up to fate in the American version. Almost all strategy is taken for granted, e.g. the dealer always hits a 3 if the player’s third card is an 8, and the only possible bluffing in the European game happens when the player holds a 5.

Boring but true, then: With a payout of 1/1 on the player, this is your best bet, though ties are to statistically occur between 4% and 5% of the time, so please know the rules and payouts of the particular online casino you’re playing at.

Blackjack is said to have the smallest house advantage of all casino games, a margin of just 1% in favor of the dealer. This advantage is the result of the player busting on hands over 21 before the dealer must take cards. Whether the deals hits or stands on soft 17, regardless of split opportunities and insurance, the player is done just 1%.

Therefore, the best bet you can make in online blackjack are simply the bet you *don’t* make. In one word: Insurance. Buying insurance is the great majority of the time throwing away your money and this extra bet does nothing to swing any odds in your favor. Steadily buying insurance, even if you “win” the expected number of times, just decreases your bankroll.

While the house is believed to always win, this need not necessarily be the case. Simply play smart, always remember what the best bets are, and think about what you’re doing as you play at the casino. Some thought and preparation now means playing money later.

Table games are intriguing and fun. Quite possibly if you play correctly, your knowledge can also be turned into winnings. Too may players, however, go into the games ignorant of the hard numbers involved in some of their favorite games, these players surely often go away surprised, wondering where things went wrong. Arm yourself with a little knowledge, as below run a few of the more favorable odds you can get in craps, baccarat and blackjack.

Though most of the time in craps the house has a massive advantage, but craps does in fact have the single best bet in the casino in terms of favorable odds: the “odds” bet. This carries payout odds of exactly 1/1, the only time you’ll get these odds at the casino outside of the “double up” option in some video poker games.

When you beat “odds” in craps, you are making an additional bet that the “point” is rolled before a seven comes up. The odds vary on what the point is, from 6/5 on a roll of 6 or 8 to 2/1 on 4 or 10. Though statistics say the 7 will be rolled most often, these higher payouts on the “odds” bet balances out the house advantage to exactly 50/50.

Unfortunately, most online gambling sites – like most real-life casinos – require you to make a “pass line” bet first. To get this back in addition to winning at the “odds” bet, well, that’s where luck comes in.
Baccarat is mostly a game of nerves in the European version and mostly entirely up to fate in the American version. Almost all strategy is taken for granted, e.g. the dealer always hits a 3 if the player’s third card is an 8, and the only possible bluffing in the European game happens when the player holds a 5.

Boring but true, then: With a payout of 1/1 on the player, this is your best bet, though ties are to statistically occur between 4% and 5% of the time, so please know the rules and payouts of the particular online casino you’re playing at.

Blackjack is said to have the smallest house advantage of all casino games, a margin of just 1% in favor of the dealer. This advantage is the result of the player busting on hands over 21 before the dealer must take cards. Whether the deals hits or stands on soft 17, regardless of split opportunities and insurance, the player is done just 1%.

Therefore, the best bet you can make in online blackjack are simply the bet you *don’t* make. In one word: Insurance. Buying insurance is the great majority of the time throwing away your money and this extra bet does nothing to swing any odds in your favor. Steadily buying insurance, even if you “win” the expected number of times, just decreases your bankroll.

While the house is believed to always win, this need not necessarily be the case. Simply play smart, always remember what the best bets are, and think about what you’re doing as you play at the casino. Some thought and preparation now means playing money later.

Two things seem certain and universal about Internet gambling: One, if people want to gamble online, they will in spite of vague threats from law enforcement; and two, somebody somewhere is making a lot of tax-free money.

Many European nations are currently modernizing their national laws to account for the rise in Internet gambling in the past 10 years. In countries such as France and Italy, a combination of pressure from the European Commission on fair competition laws plus the realization by state-run gaming monopolies that benefit would come from regulation and taxation will soon result in more freedom and safer gaming for those countries’ consumers.

Though the amount of online gambling being done is impossible to know, virtually every country without regulation in place has commissioned a study on how much money their government could stand to earn in revenue should online slots (estimated to represent 85-90% of all gambling monies collected) and reputable online casinos offering them be legalized.

While advisory firm KPMG has forecasted that the global online betting market will reach $32 billion by 2012, some specific representative numbers from around the world include the following.

• U.S. congressman Barney Frank, the chief advocate of creating regulatory law for online casinos in America, claims that online slots alone could generate $41.3 billion in tax revenue over the next 10 years. Taxing all gambling would make $62.7 billion for the government.

• Officials estimated that Thai citizens will spend $1 billion on World Cup gambling alone.

• Upon announcing that Greece could have online gambling made fully legal by 2011, state monopoly OPAP stated that the country’s market could be worth about €5 billion ($6.13 billion) in taxable revenue.

• An estimate from Denmark shows that citizens there spend €8.3 million per year at online casinos.

• Australia’s Productivity Commission estimated that nearly 750,000 Australians would *lose* $1 billion on unregulated online casinos in 2010.

The point: By allowing online casinos to go unregulated, the world’s governments are losing money hand over fist daily. One would think that in this global economy, such an opportunity would not be wasted. In the case of online casino slots, all that glitters could be gold – if only the politicians let it.

Two things seem certain and universal about Internet gambling: One, if people want to gamble online, they will in spite of vague threats from law enforcement; and two, somebody somewhere is making a lot of tax-free money.

Many European nations are currently modernizing their national laws to account for the rise in Internet gambling in the past 10 years. In countries such as France and Italy, a combination of pressure from the European Commission on fair competition laws plus the realization by state-run gaming monopolies that benefit would come from regulation and taxation will soon result in more freedom and safer gaming for those countries’ consumers.

Though the amount of online gambling being done is impossible to know, virtually every country without regulation in place has commissioned a study on how much money their government could stand to earn in revenue should online slots (estimated to represent 85-90% of all gambling monies collected) and reputable online casinos offering them be legalized.

While advisory firm KPMG has forecasted that the global online betting market will reach $32 billion by 2012, some specific representative numbers from around the world include the following.

• U.S. congressman Barney Frank, the chief advocate of creating regulatory law for online casinos in America, claims that online slots alone could generate $41.3 billion in tax revenue over the next 10 years. Taxing all gambling would make $62.7 billion for the government.

• Officials estimated that Thai citizens will spend $1 billion on World Cup gambling alone.

• Upon announcing that Greece could have online gambling made fully legal by 2011, state monopoly OPAP stated that the country’s market could be worth about €5 billion ($6.13 billion) in taxable revenue.

• An estimate from Denmark shows that citizens there spend €8.3 million per year at online casinos.

• Australia’s Productivity Commission estimated that nearly 750,000 Australians would *lose* $1 billion on unregulated online casinos in 2010.

The point: By allowing online casinos to go unregulated, the world’s governments are losing money hand over fist daily. One would think that in this global economy, such an opportunity would not be wasted. In the case of online casino slots, all that glitters could be gold – if only the politicians let it.